Alexander ray



(No Model.)

A-. RAY.

ELEVATING APPARATU s. No. 538,933. Patented May 7, 1895.

W itnesses:

THE mumps PETERS cc.. monyu-mou msummou. n. c.

trio" ALEXANDER BAY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD S. LOWRY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELEVATlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,933, dated May 7, 1895.

- Application filed April 23, 1894. Serial No. 508,586. (No model.)

To all? whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER RAY, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Elevating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to elevating apparatus, and consists of certain improvements therein which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

More especially, my invention relates to that class of elevating apparatus which is designed for raising coal, or other material from a car or Vessel to an elevation, when it may be supplied to storage bins, cars or other places of deposit.

It is the object of my invention to simplify apparatus of this kind and to enable the elevating devices to be quickly applied and adj usted to suit the character of the work to be done.

In carrying out my invention I employ an upright rigid frame, and an overhanging extensible frame laterally adjustable upon it, combined with a suspended traveling conveyer in conjunction with devices set out hereinafter acting upon it to bodily raise and lower the depending portion.

Ishall now refer to the accompanying drawings for the purpose of moreparticularly describing my invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved elevator. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional' view of a portion of the same on theline y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the linear or: of Fig. 1.

A is an upright frame structure of any suitable construction extending to a considerable elevation and provided at or near the top with horizontal ways B, B.

G is an overhanging extensible frame laterally guided in the Ways B, B on the upright frame. The frame 0 may be adjusted in any convenient manner. For this purpose I have shown ropes or cables D, D connected respectively to the opposite ends of the overhanging extensible frame 0 and wound upon drums E, E. It is apparent that by winding the rope on one drum and permitting it to unwind from the other the overhanging extensible frame 0 may be moved or adjusted laterally or horizontally in the ways B, B, thus causing its outeror overhanging end to project to a greater or less distance beyond the upright frame A.

It is obvious that a single drum may be used instead of the two drums E, E with the connecting ropes D, D oppositely wound upon it.

Gare endless conveyer chains having buckets g and are guided about idler sprocket wheels F, F, carried by the overhanging extensible frame 0 at its outer end, and also pass about adjustable sprocket wheels L mounted in amovable frame M carried upon the rear end of the said overhanging extensible frame. The lower ends of the chains pass about idler sprocket guide wheels H on a shaft h journaled in an inclosing or box frame I. The box frame I and its guide wheels are supported from the overhanging extensible frame C by the conveyer alone, and no weight is put upon the vessel from which the coal or merchandise is to be removed. This construction is also important from the fact that the conveyor may be shifted laterally from one to another vessel tied to the wharf without shifting'the boats, which could not be accomplished if the vessels were required to sustain the upper guide wheels of the conveyer. This inolosing or box frame I-is thus'carried by the conveyor G through the medium of the sprocket guide Wheels H and the shaft h, and will be lifted and moved laterally by the conveyer while it is being shifted in position. The box frame I has high sides, and thereby enables the conveyor to freely operate on the coal without clogging. This box frame I sinks into the coal as shown in Fig. 1, and the conveyer removes that coal in its immediate vicinity, and thus the conveyer is enabled to Work on the coal at a level below its surface with the result of quick action and no clogging.

The driving of the conveyor may be acco mplished in any suitable manner, as for instance, through driving sprocket wheels as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Power may, however, if desired, be applied to the wheels L, F or F.

For the purpose of bodily lifting the conveyor and the box frame I, the wheels L are made movable as above described, so that by shifting them horizontally relatively to the overhanging extensible frame, the lowerend of the conveyer may be raised or lowered. For accomplishing this adjustment I have shown the shaft of the wheels L journaled in arms of the sliding frame M which is suitably guided in horizontal ways or slots 0 in the sides of the rear end of the overhanging extensible frame 0.

N is a rope, chain or cable connected with the frame M for operating it. By pulling the rope N rearwardly, the frame M and wheels L may be moved back, thus lifting the lower end of the conveyer and box frame I. The weight of the conveyer and box frame will move the frame M forward and lower the conveyer and box frame when the rope N is released or slaokened. The rope N may be operated in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to extend it over guides 01,01 in the rear of the frame and attach it to a weight N to partially counterbalance the weight of the outer end of the conveyer G and the box frame I, so that they will not tend to run down too rapidly if released, by reason of excessive weight. For operating the rope N, I have shown an extension N of the rope passed about a drum N which may be operated by a crank handle, which may be provided with a pawl and ratchet to prevent backward rotation. The conveyer is provided with lifting buckets g of any usual or suitable construction.

K is atrough orguide located at the upper part of the upright frame A and to the rear of the guides F, and is connected with the extensible frame C so as to move with it and have its front end substantially adjacent to the guides F. The conveyer after passing the guides F travels over the trough or guide K with the loaded buckets.

Below the trough K and supported by the upright frame A is a chute k into which the contents of the buckets are discharged as the buckets pass from the trough or guide K. The chute k may lead to the storage bins or place of deposit.

The frame I is open at the bottom and may be provided with an upward extension 21 for the purpose of bracingand guiding the frame.

I is an opening or chute in the side of the inclosing box frame I for delivering coal to the interior when necessary.

.T represents a vessel containing coal to be elevated.

I shall now describe the operation of my improved elevating apparatus:The car, vessel, or other vehicle J which contains the coal or other material to be unloaded is brought into position adjacent to the upright frame A, as is shown in Fig. 1. The overhanging extensible frame 0 is then adjusted laterally into position, and through the operation of the frame M the conveyer is lowered until the box frame I rests upon the body of the coal in the car or boat. In this position the buckets g will operate to take up the coal as the conveyer pass'es about the wheels H, and will elevate it to the guide wheels F where they pass over the trough K in a horizontal or more or less turned position, and,upon reaching the end of the trough the coal will fall into the chute 7t and pass to the bins or place of deposit.

It is preferable that there should be sufficient slack in the conveyer when the box frame I is lowered upon the body of the coal to permit the said frame to descend as the level of the coal is lowered,thus bringing the descending buckets constantly in position to take up the coal automatically. As the coal which is acted upon by the buckets is confined within the frame I, it will be more easily taken up by the buckets. The walls of the frame I act to prevent the coal being pushed away by the bucketsinstead of entering them.

Such portions of the coal as do not pass within the-frame I may be introduced through the opening I.

If desired, the upright frame A may be moved transversely to shift the position of the elevating apparatus from one point to another in the vessel or car.

When the vessel or car is unloaded, the frame M is pulled back and the conveyer and box frame I are thus lifted from the car or vessel and are in position to be again lowered into another car or vessel.

The details of construction shown may be varied without departing from the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an elevating apparatus, the combination of an upright frame, an overhanging extensible frame having guides at its outer or overhanging end and supported wholly by and adjustable laterally upon the upright frame, means to adjust the overhanging extensible frame, a depending flexible endless traveling conveyer hanging down loosely from the guides upon the outer end of the overhanging extensible frame, adjustable guide wheels for the upper end of the conveyer carried upon the overhanging extensible frame whereby the depending end of the conveyer may be raised or lowered, and a. guide frame wholly independent of the overhanging frame for the depending end of the conveyer movable in all directions and consisting of wheels inclosed on the sides by a box frame open on top and bottom.

2. In an elevating apparatus, the combination of an upright frame, an overhanging laterally extensible frame carried thereby and movable thereon provided with guide wheels at its overhanging end, means to adjust the overhanging extensible frame upon the upright frame, an endless conveyer passing about said guide wheels on the overhanging extensible frame and having its lower end loosely and freely depending therefrom, and adjustable guide Wheels for the upper rear end of the endless conveyer adjustable relatively to the overhanging extensible frame for taking up or paying out the conveyer independently of the lateral adjustment of the overhanging frame, the whole being so constructed that the depending end of the conveyer may be freely moved laterally and raised or lowered.

3. The combination of an upright frame structure, an extensible overhanging frame wholly supported thereon and adapted to project over or beyond the vertical part of the upright frame and be laterally adjusted thereon, guide wheels upon the projecting end of the extensible overhanging frame, a suspended flexible traveling conveyer suspended from said guide Wheels upon said extensible overhanging frame, an inclosed box frame I open at the bottom and adapted to rest upon and carry the loop of the conveyer below the level of the bed of the material to be elevated, guides H carried by the said box frame I, about which the depending portion of the suspended conveyer passes and is guided, and adjustable guide wheels L at the rear part of the extensible overhanging f rame about which the upper rear loop of the conveyer passes, whereby the lower end of the conveyor and the frame I and guides H carried thereby may be simultaneously raised and lowered.

4. The combination of the upright structure or frame A having horizontal guides at the top, an overhanging extensible frame 0 adjustable on said guides and provided at its overhanging end with guide wheels F, F, means for shifting the overhanging extensible frame 0 upon the upright frame A to vary the extent of its overhang thereof, a guide chute or trough K movable with the overhanging extensible frame and arranged below it, an endless conveyer G provided with buckets g guided over the wheels F, F and above the chute or trough K and hanging down in the form of a loop at one end, adjustable guide wheels L for the other or upper rear loop of the conveyer carried by the overhanging frame at its rear end, and means for adjusting the guide wheels L relatively to the Wheels F, F for the purpose of raising or lowering the lower end of the conveyer.

In testimony of which invention 1 hereunto set my hand.

- ALEXANDER RAY.

have

Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, O. H. NEWCOMB. 

